Corner pot holder adapted for use on a deck

ABSTRACT

The present invention is to an improvement in accoutrements for a patio deck. In particular, the present invention provides a corner pot holder. The corner pot holder is of unitary construction. Unitary construction allows the corner pot holder may be stamped from a piece of metal or may be molded from plastic. The corner pot holder permits the flower pots held by the corner pot holder to drain thus avoiding stagnant water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a holder for flower pots, cooking vessels, utensils and the like.

[0003] 2. Description of the art practices

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,119 issued Oct. 17, 1978 to Engel discloses an elbow-like receptacle with reduced ends to form flanges for rigid connection to the inside surfaces proximate individual open ends of two trough-like receptacles, for connecting these trough-like receptacles together at an angle, forming a continuous planter or flower box. Provision for extending the length of a section of the planter is also included via a splicer, having a plate with a flange, for rigid connection to the inside surfaces proximate individual open ends of two trough-like receptacles, respectively, abutted together.

[0005] In U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,499 issued Jan. 8, 1985 to Gasper there is disclosed a frame fixture having a support base, receiving plate, a pair of carrier bolts and a post, the fixture is placed onto the top of a telephone switchgear frame so that the base grips the frame. The post has two carrier bolts extending therefrom and further has a cargo bar placed transversely to the bolts and is located therebetween. A receiving plate is attached to the bolts to fasten the cargo bar between the post and plate. A plurality of spaced switchgear frames in a transport vehicle are adapted to be interconnected by the cargo bar so as to prevent toppling of the former about their bases.

[0006] Helfman, in U.S. Pat. 4,698,936 issued Oct. 13, 1987 discloses a planter designed to be mounted upon the top of a wall partition typically found in an open plan modem office, wherein the wall partition includes a horizontal surface terminating in two parallel vertical surfaces. The container has a bottom and a continuous side wall forming an unobstructed open interior. Support brackets, having a generally horizontal leg and a generally vertical leg, includes means to permit the support bracket to be secured to the container. Means to fasten the support bracket to the container, and the container and support bracket to the wall partition, such that the generally vertically depending legs of the support brackets tightly clamp the two parallel vertical surfaces of the wall partition, includes one or more screw threaded studs and mating nuts.

[0007] Helfman, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,095 Dec. 14, 1993 shows a mounting assembly for affixing a planter to a horizontal or vertical surface such as the top or side of a deck, balcony or porch railing, iron railing, vertical wall and the like. The planter has a bottom, a surrounding wall extending upwardly from the bottom, and an open top. The bottom is so configured as to accommodate at least one vertically oriented bolt. The at least one bolt is isolated from the interior of the planter. At least one bracket is attachable to the planter by the at least one bolt. The at least one bracket is also attachable to the railing or wall by appropriate fastening means. In a preferred embodiment the planter bottom is provided with at least one upstanding socket for the at least one bolt. The socket has a central vertical bore with an open bottom end and a closed top end. An internally threaded bushing is fixed in the socket bore to be threadedly engaged by the at least one bolt.

[0008] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,676 issued Jul. 12, 1994 to Kosky a combined corner pot holder and railing apparatus for flush-mounting on the inside corner of a deck/porch railing having a substantial depth to conceal the pots from view a triangular box with horizontally extending flanges for resting on the top of the railing, the flower planter having a flower pot container section defined by three walls connected by a triangular base, the container having a pair of side walls including a first side wall and a second sidewall joined in angular relation, and a back wall. The sidewalls adapted to a butt side portions of the railing and with each sidewall having a horizontally extending support flange configured to extend to fit on the top horizontal surface of the railing keeping the container positioned in the corner of the railing. The two laterally extending support flanges are in orthogonical relationship one to another and each are in orthogonical relationship to the associated sidewall to provide a mating fit to the inside corner of the railing in a manner that requires no attachment fixtures to be pierced into the railing structure for holding the flower pot container in place.

[0009] To the extent that the foregoing patents are relevant to the present invention they are herein incorporated by reference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention describes a corner pot holder adapted for use on a deck,

[0011] said corner pot holder having a unitary construction;

[0012] said unitary construction having a planar surface;

[0013] said planar surface having a length and a width;

[0014] said planar surface having one or more surface means for defining at least one opening through said planar surface, for when in use, receiving and supporting one or more containers;

[0015] a second surface adjacent to said planar surface;

[0016] said second surface having a length and a width; and

[0017] said second surface extending from said planar surface at a generally right angle.

[0018] A further feature of the present invention is a corner pot holder adapted for use on a deck,

[0019] said corner pot holder having a unitary construction;

[0020] said unitary construction having a planar surface;

[0021] said planar surface having a length and a width;

[0022] said planar surface having one or more surface means for defining at least one opening through said planar surface, for when in use, receiving and supporting one or more containers;

[0023] a second surface adjacent to said planar surface;

[0024] said second surface having a length and a width;

[0025] a pair of flanges extending from said planar surface, for when in use, supporting said corner pot holder on a surface of a deck.

[0026] Yet another aspect of the invention is a corner pot holder adapted for use on a deck,

[0027] said corner pot holder having a unitary construction;

[0028] said unitary construction having a planar surface;

[0029] said planar surface having a length and a width;

[0030] said planar surface having one or more surface means for defining at least one opening through said planar surface, for when in use, receiving and supporting one or more containers;

[0031] a second surface adjacent to said planar surface;

[0032] said second surface having a length and a width;

[0033] a third surface adjacent to said planar surface;

[0034] said third surface being in a different plane than said second surface and generally parallel to said second surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The foregoing and other features of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the present invention relates upon consideration of the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0036]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a corner pot holder according to the invention;

[0037]FIG. 2 is a frontal perspective view of a corner pot holder according to the invention;

[0038]FIG. 3 is a view of a corner pot holder with flower pots inserted according to the invention;

[0039]FIG. 4 is a is a plan view of an alternate embodiment of the corner pot holder according to the invention; and,

[0040]FIG. 5 is a plan view of a third alternate embodiment of the corner pot holder according to the invention.

[0041] With more particular reference to the drawings the following is set forth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042]FIG. 1 shows a flat work piece 10. The flat work piece 10 is conveniently made of {fraction (3/32)}-inch hot rolled steel. The flat work piece 10 may also be formed of stainless steel, aluminum, plastic, resins, and fiberglass materials. The thickness of the flat work piece 10 may be varied depending on the selection of the material and as well on the load (weight) that the flat work piece 10 will carry. The flat work piece 10 has front edge 12 and a back edge 14. The flat work piece 10 has a two first side edges 16 and two second side edges 18. The flat work piece 10 has an upper surface 22 and a lower surface 24.

[0043] The flat work piece 10 is stamped in a stamping operation. The flat work piece 10 may also be formed by cutting a metal plate (not shown) to the appropriate size. Additional production methods for forming the flat work piece 10 include stamping, molding, and shearing.

[0044] As best seen in FIG. 2, the flat work piece 10 has been folded along line 2-2 into one or more surfaces. For convenience, a planar surface 30 having generally of a trapezoidal shape is obtained by folding the flat work piece 10 along line 2-2. The planar surface 30 has an upper surface 34 and a lower surface 38.

[0045] The flat work piece 10 also has surface means defining one or more openings 40 extending through the upper surface 34 and a lower surface 38 of the planar surface 30. The openings 40 in the flat work piece 10 may be stamped out in a stamping operation. The openings 40 are shown as circular, however, the openings may be rectangular or any other shape desired.

[0046] Alternatively, the openings 40 may be cut out of the planar surface 30 after the planar surface 30 is formed. The openings 40 in the flat work piece 10 may be deburred to give an intermediate surface 42 (the circumference of 40).

[0047] The openings 40 may be positioned such that a flower pot or other article inserted into the openings 40 will have the lip of flower pot or other article engage the back edge 14. The openings 40 may also be positioned such that the a flower pot or other article inserted into the openings 40 will have the lip of flower pot or other article engage and extend beyond the back edge 14. In either of the foregoing situations, a portion of the flower pot or other article will be partially supported by the deck on which the corner pot hold is mounted.

[0048] As best seen in FIG. 2, the flat work piece 10, when folded along line 2-2, also results in a generally rectangular surface 60. The generally rectangular surface 60 has a first surface 62 and a second surface 64. The generally rectangular surface 60 is folded so as to form a right angle with the planar surface 30.

[0049] A plurality of decorative pickets 68 may be present on the rectangular surface 60. The decorative pickets 68 are located away from the fold defined by line 2-2. The decorative pickets 68 may be in any shape but are conventionally, as shown, semi-circular. The decorative pickets 68 extend from the front edge 12. A lower portion 72 of the second side edge 18 defines the beginning of the arc of the first of the plurality of the decorative pickets 68. The decorative pickets 68 are of the same size and are spaced apart from one another. The last of the decorative pickets 68 terminates at an opposite side lower portion 74 of the second side edge 18.

[0050] In the foregoing manner a corner pot holder 100 is formed from the work piece 10. The fold defined by line 2-2 resulting in the decorative pickets 68 strengthens the corner pot holder 100. The decorative pickets 68 reduce the tendency of the planar surface 30 to buckle downward under the weight of a flower pot or other article inserted in the openings 40.

[0051] The corner pot holder 100 may be painted. Due to the bending operations in forming the corner pot holder 100, it is preferred that the flat work piece 10 not be painted until all of the forming operations are completed. The color of the corner pot holder 100 may also be obtained by placing dye in a resin and molding the object. Similarly, the corner pot holder 100 may be colored by plating the color thereon.

[0052] One or more fastener openings 104 are positioned in the planar surface 30. The fastener openings 90 permit the corner pot holder to be fastened to a deck. While the corner pot holder 100 may be detachably mounted to the deck it is preferred that it is fixedly connected by one or more screws or bolts.

[0053] In use, the corner pot holder 100 is seated onto the upper surface of a patio railing or a deck railing. The corner pot holder 100 may be fastened with screws, nails, or bolts (not shown) to the patio railing or a deck railing through fastener openings 104. Alternatively, the corner pot holder may be allowed to lie via lower surface 38 on the upper surface of a patio railing or a deck railing.

[0054] A corner pot holder 100 according to the present invention is shown FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3 conventional flower pots 106 are inserted into the openings 40 (per FIG. 2) in the planar surface 30. The intermediate surface 42 of the openings 40 retains and is the sole means of supporting the outer surface of the flower pot or flower pots. The size of the openings 40 may be correlated to the size of the flower pots 106 such that the bottom of the flower pot does not extend below the front edge 12 of the corner flower pot holder. The distance of the planar surface 30 as measured perpendicularly from line 2-2 to the back edge 14 is preferably greater than the distance from perpendicularly from line 2-2 to the front edge 12.

[0055] A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows a flat work piece 110. The flat work piece 110 is conveniently made of {fraction (3/16)}-inch hot rolled steel. The flat work piece 110 has front edge 112 and a back edge 114. The flat work piece 110 has a two first side edges 116 and two second side edges 118. The flat work piece 110 is stamped in a stamping operation. The flat work piece 110 may also be formed by cutting a metal plate (not shown) to the appropriate size. Additional production methods for forming the flat work piece 110 include stamping, molding, and shearing.

[0056] As best seen in FIG. 4, the flat work piece 110 has been folded along line 4-4 into one or more surfaces. For convenience, a planar surface 130 having generally of a trapezoidal shape is obtained by folding the flat work piece 110 along line 4-4. The planar surface 130 has an upper surface 132 and a lower surface 134. Two flanges 136 extend outward from the planar surface 130. The flanges 136 extend from each first side edge 116 to each second side edge 118.

[0057] The flat work piece 110 also has surface means defining one or more openings 140 extending through the upper surface 134 and a lower surface 138 of the planar surface 130. The openings 140 in the flat work piece 110 may be stamped out in a stamping operation. Alternatively, the openings 140 may be cut out of the planar surface 130 after the planar surface 130 is formed. Additional production methods for forming the openings 140 in the planar surface 130 are by stamping, molding, and shearing. The openings 140 in the flat work piece 110 may be deburred to give an intermediate surface 142 (the circumference of openings 140).

[0058] A third embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows a flat work piece 210 which when folded along line 6-6 results in an article similar in appearance to corner pot holder 100. The flat work piece 210 has front edge 212 and a first back edge 214. A flange 215 extends outward from the first back edge 214. The flange 215 terminates with a second back edge 214A. The flat work piece 210 has a two first side edges 216 and two second side edges 218. The flat work piece 210 has an upper surface 222 and a lower surface 224.

[0059] The flat work piece 210 is conveniently made of {fraction (3/16)}-inch hot rolled steel. The flat work piece 210 is stamped in a stamping operation. The flat work piece 210 may also be formed by cutting a metal plate (not shown) to the appropriate size.

[0060] The flat work piece 210 is folded along line 6-6 into one or more surfaces. For convenience, a planar surface 230 having a generally trapezoidal shape is obtained by folding the flat work piece 210 along line 6-6. The planar surface 230 has an upper surface 234 and a lower surface 238. Two flanges 236 extend outward from the planar surface 230.

[0061] As best seen in FIG. 5, the flat work piece 210 is further folded along line 6A-6A to form a generally rectangular portion 239 from the flange 215. The fold along line 6A-6A is made such that the generally rectangular portion 239 at a right angle to the planar surface 230.

[0062] The flat work piece 210 also has surface means defining one or more openings 240 extending through the upper surface 234 and a lower surface 238 of the planar surface 230. The openings 240 in the flat work piece 210 may be stamped out in a stamping operation. Alternatively, the openings 240 may be cut out of the planar surface 230 after the planar surface 230 is formed.

[0063] A plurality of decorative pickets 268 may be present on the rectangular surface 230. The decorative pickets 268 are located away from the fold defined by line 6-6. The decorative pickets 268 may be in any shape but are conventionally, as shown, semi-circular. One or more fastener openings 290 are positioned in the planar surface 230. The fastener openings 290 permit the corner pot holder to be fastened to a deck.

[0064] In use, the corner pot holder 100 is seated onto the upper surface of a railing of a deck. The corner pot holder may be fastened with screws, nails, or bolts (not shown) to the deck through fastener openings 290. Alternatively, the corner pot holder may be allowed to lie via lower surface 238 on the upper surface of a railing of a deck.

[0065] Having thereby described the invention with several suggested embodiments we claim the following invention as described in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A corner pot holder adapted for use on a deck, said corner pot holder having a unitary construction; said unitary construction having a planar surface; said planar surface having a length and a width; said planar surface having one or more surface means for defining at least one opening through said planar surface, for when in use, receiving and supporting one or more containers; a second surface adjacent to said planar surface; said second surface having a length and a width; and said second surface extending from said planar surface at a generally right angle.
 2. The corner pot holder according to claim 1, having one or more second surface openings in said planar surface, for when so used, receiving fastening means to fasten said planar surface to a deck.
 3. The corner pot holder according to claim 1, wherein said planar surface is generally trapezoidal.
 4. The corner pot holder according to claim 1, wherein said width of said second surface is equal to or slightly less than said width of said planar surface.
 5. The corner pot holder according to claim 1, wherein said planar surface having one or more surface means for defining at least one opening through said planar surface, for when in use, receiving and supporting one or more containers is the sole support of the containers.
 6. A corner pot holder adapted for use on a deck, said corner pot holder having a unitary construction; said unitary construction having a planar surface; said planar surface having a length and a width; said planar surface having one or more surface means for defining at least one opening through said planar surface, for when in use, receiving and supporting one or more containers; a second surface adjacent to said planar surface; said second surface having a length and a width; a pair of flanges extending from said planar surface, for when in use, supporting said corner pot holder on a surface of a deck.
 7. The corner pot holder according to claim 6, having one or more second surface openings in said planar surface, for when so used, receiving fastening means to fasten at least one of said flanges to a deck.
 8. The corner pot holder according to claim 6, wherein said second surface extends from said planar surface at a generally right angle.
 9. The corner pot holder according to claim 6, wherein said planar surface is generally trapezoidal.
 10. The corner pot holder according to claim 6, wherein said planar surface having one or more surface means for defining at least one opening through said planar surface, for when in use, receiving and supporting one or more containers is the sole support of the containers.
 11. A corner pot holder adapted for use on a deck, said corner pot holder having a unitary construction; said unitary construction having a planar surface; said planar surface having a length and a width; said planar surface having one or more surface means for defining at least one opening through said planar surface, for when in use, receiving and supporting one or more containers; a second surface adjacent to said planar surface; said second surface having a length and a width; a third surface adjacent to said planar surface; said third surface being in a different plane than said second surface and generally parallel to said second surface.
 12. The corner pot holder according to claim 11, having one or more second surface openings in said planar surface, for when so used, receiving fastening means to fasten at least one of said flanges to a deck.
 13. The corner pot holder according to claim 11, wherein said second surface extends from said planar surface at a generally right angle.
 14. The corner pot holder according to claim 11, wherein said planar surface is generally trapezoidal.
 15. The corner pot holder according to claim 11, wherein said planar surface having one or more surface means for defining at least one opening through said planar surface, for when in use, receiving and supporting one or more containers is the sole support of the containers. 